I rec. your letter
last week, also one from Doctor inclos-
ing a copy of Uncle Norris & several
papers for all which receive my
thanks. The piece in the Portsmouth
Journal about this regt. is true every
word. We have excellent officers
& a tip top regt. it is getting its
name up here. Burnside
wanted it but Gen. Sumner would
not let it go. He said they might
take any other one in his division.
We have just got some new caps
and brass scales to wear on our
shoulders. I wish you could see
us some fine day on Dress Parade.
Every shoe has to be blacked and

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every button & brass brightly
polished. Col. Cross is a strict
disciplinarian & has everything in
regular army style. He is bound to be
ahead in everything. And if ever we do go into a fight he will put us
ahead then I reckon. He believes in the bayonet. An order has been sent here
from Gen. McClellen for every man
to be drilled in the bayonet exercise.
The battles of Mill Spring & Roanooke
Island have demonstrated that
the chivalry[sic] can’t stand cold steel.
Our regt. is drilled one hour Friday
noon with the bayonet. News
came last night of the occupa-
tion of Bowling Green Ken. by
our troops. The whole brigade
turned out and cheered & the bands
played. We could hear cheering
all thru this division & in Franklins
& Heintzelmans. We expect to hear
soon that Fort Donelson has fallen

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in to our hands. As soon as
Burnside & Buel cut off the rebels
communications the rebels in Va. will
begin to feel the grip of the Anaconda.
We shall begin to press them a little
then I reckon. It makes me feel un-
easy to have such stirring work
going on in other parts of the country
& we are doing nothing here. I want to
be moving on & have a hand in whip-
ping out the cowardly rascals.
Gen. Fullerton came out here last
Monday from Washington. he is fat
& healthy . It snowed yesterday
about 3 inches. today it is quite
cool & winterish. I have sent home
for a box of eatables etc. every one
in my squad has had one sent
& I have shared with them. I don’t
want to be behind the rest. I
shall look for it by the first of next
week. I sent last Friday & it takes
4 or 5 days for a box to come out here. I hope

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they will hurry it up for perhaps we
shall not remain here long.
I say perhaps because I don’t know
anything about it - but there are
any numbers of rumors afloat about
what we are going to do & where we
are going, Some of them have some
shadow of a foundation
Our Chaplain has gone home on a fur-
lough so prayer meetings are sus-
pended for the present.
My health continues excellent - I
never enjoyed so good health as since
I enlisted. It has been somewhat
sickly in my regt & quite a no. have died
one out of our Co. but the sickness is decreas-
ing. A great many have had the measles.
I think of nothing more to write now.
Please write again soon & give my respects
to all.